Chained Review

First thing to note about Chained is: it is not a pleasant viewing experience.

Second thing to note about Chained is: it will probably rot your soul a wee bit.

From Jennifer Lynch (yes, that’s David Lynch’s daughter) comes possibly the most brutal study in serial killers you’ll see this year and I don’t feel too pedantic saying that even though its only February. This truly intense piece of film, is unrelenting in its focus and painful in its portrayal of life with a serial killer.

A young boy (Evan Bird) is forced to become the personal slave of a serial killer cab-driver called Bob (Vincent D’Onofrio), after him and his mother are kidnapped and the mother murdered.  As a strange relationship forms between the two, not unlike a master-apprentice, the boy, (now older and portrayed by Eamon Farren) must choose whether to follow in his captor’s footsteps or make desperate attempts to flee the horror of the isolated home.

Even the first ten minutes is enough to deeply unsettle any seasoned horror fan, and it kinda roller coasters from there, reaching highs that have you so wound up you’ll want to look away and lows that will make you ponder the sad and inevitable lifestyles inherent to many abusive childhoods.  These lows are where D’Onofrio shows his true worth, in those sad wretched moments masked with rage and in the flashbacks of a life plagued with violence and cruelty. His quiet lisping voice and gaited wander are so adept at masking the strength and ferocity of a murderer, that at some points you can’t help but feel sorry for him. But then, that’s Lynch’s point: there’s a feeling that this piece doesn’t really have a villain in the traditional sense,  there’s too much cause and effect going about to simply mark any of the characters down as “evil”. By the end, though, he definitely deserves his comeuppance,

This careful characterisation allows the bizarre father/son relationship between Bob and Rabbit to grow without ever seeming laughable. Farrer’s barren performance is painful to watch but in that good way reserved only for truly distressing thrillers, kind of like Leland Orser in Se7en. Stuttered words and the furtive body language of a terrified child in a teen’s body all hint at years of systematic abuse and exposure to a life less cared for. Lynch is careful with which details of Rabbit’s life she presents to us, and which she holds back, since this is an intricate study in psychological horror it could easily be upset by anything too out-there.

There’s an ironic tone under all this misery matched with a deft and startling eye for detail. Bob’s taxi, scrawled luxuriously with the word Comfort is unsettling start to finish, Rabbit’s seemingly mile-long chain is near iconic, and Bob’s house in the middle of a lush green field seems like a prison island out at sea, to name a few wee details. That’s not to mention Bob and Rabbit playing trumps with the slain girls’ I.D. cards. There are a lot of clever little touches and beautiful framings which play with the restricted space of the house also, ensuring the film has merit as a cinematic construction as well as a heart-wrenching psyche-disturbance.

This is why it’s such a shame the ending flops.

A last minute dash for a twist leaves the film switching tracks far too late and the message gets thrown into the air. Its disappointing and does render the film slightly less than if it had stayed on its simple but strong premise.

Overall an intense and wholly unsettling affair thanks to careful scripting and a jaunting, claustrophobic style. D’Onofrio’s stellar performance is one of the best screen killers in a long time, whilst Lynch’s direction maintains an impressive near-perfect study of the cycle of abuse, spoiled only by an outlandish finale.

SCOTT CLARK

★★★★☆

Rating:18
UK Release Date: 1st February 2013 (Cinema) 4th February 2013 (DVD)
Director: Jennifer Chambers Lynch
Cast: Vincent D'Onofrio, Eamon Farren, Evan Bird
Pre-order/Buy Chained: DVD / Blu-ray

Antiviral Review

Take a look at the modern world and it’s difficult to deny we’re in a certain amount of trouble. Pick up any magazine, flick through any social networking sites, and you’ll see we have celebrity on the brain. Brandon Cronenberg (son of cult director, David Cronenberg) has chosen this sordid affair as a launching point for his impressive debut: Antiviral.

                Syd March (Caleb Landry Jones) works at the Lucas Clinic, a multi-million dollar institute that specialises in a very particular product: viruses that have been extracted from celebrities. In a world where celebrity obsession has reached dizzying levels, these diseases are the most intimate way for fans to connect to their idols. Syd infects himself with the diseases in order to smuggle them out the clinic and sell them on the black market, but after infecting himself with a disease that goes on to kill superstar Hannah Geist, he is forced to race against time in a desperate attempt to unravel the mystery of what is happening to his body.

                I can’t actually remember the last time a debut feature was so poignant, so keyed into what’s going on in the modern world. Brandon has obviously inherited his father’s keen eye for social commentary along with a vivid sense of style. Dependency on gossip, desire for more than just autographs, and the tide of nonsense crap that we consume daily in our desire to know more and more about glorified wannabes, it’s all here. Cronenberg flaunts his wit when he shows just how all this madness will end up, his script proves inventive time and time again; the faces given to viruses in order to determine their character, edibles made from celeb stem cells, cyber strippers, you get the drift. It’s a bleak and unsettling affair.

                The film looks dead sharp too; the cinematography, particularly the miserable palate, enforces a truly bleak dream-like world where the only real colour amidst the droll is blood-red. Bare minimum white-washed sets dominated by unnervingly large celeb posters are to be found everywhere in Cronenberg’s world. There’s some genius moments of body horror here reminiscent of early Cronenberg Sr; mechanical-human crossovers are unnerving viewing but if any real achievement is made, its making blood genuinely horrific. The parasites unseen are where our fears should really be lying, and after watching Syd slowly succumb, you’ll probably start noticing how few people bother to cover their mouths when they cough.

                Landry Jones deserves praise for a fantastic performance, one which becomes more and more desperate as the film progresses and hence, more riveting to watch.  Malcolm McDowell sneaks in as a Doctor interested in Syd’s regression, at one point admitting to him ‘I’m afraid you’ve become involved with something sinister’, surely  scoring the best horror one-liner thus far this year. It’s a wonder it’s not on the poster.

By the end of this ride you may be left wondering if the plot packs enough wallop, but in the face of the concept, style, and discourse, narrative can be excused ever-so-slightly. This is not only an impressive debut, but an important one, especially depressing when you stop to think, actually…this isn’t that far-fetched.

SCOTT CLARK

★★★★☆

Rating:15
UK Release Date: 1st February 2013 (Cinema) 11th February 2013 (DVD)
Director:Brandon Cronenberg
Cast: Caleb Landry Jones, Sarah Gadon, Malcolm McDowell
Buy:Antiviral [DVD]

Bullhead Review

In February 2011 Bullhead, the directing debut of Michaël R. Roskam, was released in Belgian cinemas and enjoyed success with both viewers and critics. Later that year it was selected and lauded by multiple international festivals. The director Roskam appeared on the “Ten directors to watch” list of Variety and it’s rumored that Hollywood is interested in Matthias Schoenaerts, who plays the lead in the film. But all this praise for a rather small Belgian movie pales in comparison to the news released a few days ago. Bullhead has been nominated for the “Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film”. It is in the light of this latest bit of praise that I went to revisit this tale of animals and hormones but above all of one’s humanity.

When you hear the opening monologue of the movie you already sense you’re in for something rather special. Beneath the surface it already hints at the deeper themes of the movie in a profound but delicate way.

You might’ve heard about Schoenaerts who gained 25 kilos of muscle for the role. And while this may sound impressive one might argue that the role of an actor is not (only) one of physical transformation. But transformation is more than physical the movement, the look, the tics but predominantly the eyes. The praise Schoenaerts presentation received is no hyperbole, it is a full and complete character. And quite a meaty one at that.

The movie has excellent pace there is never a dull moment as the story slowly unfolds and brings you deeper and deeper in its ever escalating tragedy. The finale especially is a powerful piece of cinematography, it almost feels hallucinatory, with powerful acting and beautiful camerawork. Speaking of which, the camerawork throughout the whole movie is splendid it doesn’t take the forefront by quick montages and flashes of imagery but just produces powerful images with panning slowly and making great use of depth of field which creates ghostlike visions that suite the overall tone and story rather nicely. The music has the same use keeping a low profile; but still contributing in acquiring that overall powerful emotional feel.

Well after all this praise I have to admit the movie is not without its faults. The gags with the two Walloon mechanics are in the vain of a typical French comedy (be it of a lesser comedic quality) which is indeed an acquired taste. And some might say they feel a bit out of place.

You might’ve noticed I didn’t provide a synopsis of the story as is customary in reviews. I did this for two reasons.What I particularly like about the movie is its deeper underlying story. At first it might seem like a regular cops an gangster movie with some side story, but it is quite a bit more than that. It is a movie which touches on a few difficult themes and an intricate way. It is a story about the border between feeling human and the bestial. What it is like, to not feel normal and the obsessions it creates. And it tells this using a strong, hypnotic narrative, supported by equally strong visuals. A movie with balls, powerful but fragile at the same time.

Lieven Glovers

★★★★1/2

Rating:15
Release Date: 1st February 2013 (UK)
Director:Michaël R. Roskam
Cast:  Matthias Schoenaerts, Jeroen Perceval, Jeanne Dandoy

*This is a reprint of review posted 4th February 2012
T

Ask Gael Garcia Bernal A Question, In live Q&A For NO

Gael Garcia Bernal is starring in 'No', the Oscar-nominated film looking at the referendum and ad campaign that helped force General Pinochet out of office.

Gael is no stranger to Amnesty, or to political films - he worked with us to create The Invisibles, four films which charted the dangerous journey across Mexico for migrants who are kidnapped, raped and sometimes murdered as they aim for America. He also played Ernesto Guevara (Che) in The Motorcycle Diaries.

Send us your questions for Gael - about his new film 'No', his previous work, or anything else - and we'll ask him a selection during a live Youtube broadcast on Thursday. Leave them as a comment, or ask them on Twitter using #AskGael

You can also send in your questions for Eugenio Garcia, one of the two advertising executives who created Chile's 'No' campaign, who Gael's character in 'No' is partly based.

The event is happening  in association with Amnesty International on Thursday 31st January at 1545 until 1630 (GMT)

Watch Creepy Clip For Jennifer Lynch's Chained

She is certainly a 'daddy's girl' Jennifer Lynch as her latest film Chained is showing her daddy David Lynch has certain been a 'father figure' to her inspiring twisted wholesomeness.

This Friday will see the limited cinema release of Chained starring Vincent D'Onfrio as Bob the serial killing taxi-driver, but he is a serial killer with a difference. One of his victims had a boy and he raises him not as a father/ son relationship but to be his protege calling him rabbit instead of Tim his correct name, but will he follow his new found daddy's steps?

Below is a new creepy clip which shows the new family set up is not as happy and dynamic as it should be.


Chained is set for a limited release in UK cinemas on 1st February with the film been released on DVD& Blu-Ray from 4th February. Chained stars Evan Bird, Jake Weber and Julia Ormond.

source:Totalfilm

Treat Your Other Half With Future Cinema Presents…Casablanca At The Troxy

“Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine”

If your ever looking for an cinematic experience with a difference our friends  Future Cinema, the creators of Secret Cinema know how to deliver that experience and this February  they return for a classic romantic film. Returning  to the Troxy for a Valentine’s Day special, bringing to life the enduring tale of love, exile and adventure, the iconic romance  – Casablanca.

 It is 1941 and the Second World War is raging. The Germans have taken Paris and occupied France.

Casablanca is one of the last free cities. The city is a melting pot of cultures, stories and sights.  People are desperate to flee a tumultuous Europe and are looking for safe passage across the Atlantic to the Americas. Amidst the turmoil and the frenzy, Ricks Café Americain is a haven for refugees trying to purchase illicit papers and flee the fast approaching war. On a dark night, amongst the chaos, a world-weary Rick Blaine meets his one time love…

 Future Cinema invites audiences to step inside the world of Casablanca as the Troxy is transformed into the most exclusive night-spot in town, and join Rick and Ilsa on this whirlwind of mystery, romance and espionage. Gather around Sam’s Piano and join in the chorus of the Marseillaise, dance to Benoit Viellefon and his Orchestra, dine at the Blue Parrot Café with food by acclaimed Spanish/North African London restaurant Moro, search for secret bars and discover secret bands, explore the vivid and wild Casablanca and re-live the story as never before.

Applications for identity papers will be open this Tuesday 29^th January, from 1.00pm at www.futurecinema.co.uk/tickets.

Other news from Future Cinema: Following the sold-out Secret Cinema production of The Shawshank Redemption (October 31^st - December 2^nd 2012), Future Cinema reopened the production on Thursday, January 10th, with an extended run until February 24^th. Court times can be booked here: www.futurecinema.co.uk/tickets.





-       Future Cinema presents Casablanca

Dates:   14th February – 3^rd March 2013

            Tickets: www.futurecinema.co.uk/tickets (£25 Full / £20 Concessions / £15 Children (matinees only))

-       2013 Extension: Future Cinema presents The Shawshank Redemption

Dates:  10^th January - 24th February 2013. Productions will take place on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays

Tickets: www.futurecinema.co.uk/tickets (£43.50 Full / £33.50 Concessions)

Here's a little video on the Shawshank  Redemption event:

-       Secret Cinema 20 – London, New York and Athens

Dates: 24^th April – 5^th May 2013 in an undisclosed location in London and launching in New York and Athens.

Tickets: www.secretcinema.org/tickets - on sale date TBA

If your a newbie to the Future and Secret Cinema you can get more information at  www.secretcinema.org / www.futurecinema.co.uk

American Mary Review

The Soska Sisters’ ambitious yet flawed debut feature Dead Hooker in a Trunk was just enough to get their feet in the door, something we can all be pretty grateful for considering the impressive cult legend that is their second feature film: American Mary.

                Katharine Isabelle stars as Mary, a dedicated and gifted young medical student struggling to make ends meet. After she responds to a Job advert for a local strip joint she is forced to use her skills in shady circumstance for the club owner. The result is $5000 and the promise she will keep her mouth shut. Soon, news of Mary’s skills reaches the black market and she begins to spiral into an underworld of people infatuated with body modification. Whatever needs done “Bloody Mary” can do… for a price.

                Everything that was perhaps amateur about Dead Hooker is sorted in American Mary, a film that is, for all its guts and glory, a fairly muted affair centred around a great principal idea. That’s no said to muddy the sisters’ use of gore (since this is a film at points dripping with the stuff) but the strong point is in the fact it doesn’t rush into being a horror film. At the very least that it doesn’t seem too interested in being a conformist piece of slash-happy Friday night fun.  Too often Indy horror dwindles in the plot department letting any terror miss-fire since we don’t actually give a shit about what’s going on.  Here the Twisted Twins have parodied American ideals, hinting that the macabre side of life is almost unavoidable in this: a film that narrates the collision point of sex, money, and the American Dream.

Isabelle is largely to thank for the success of the film, having spent plenty of time being fodder for serial killers (Freddy vs. Jason comes nostalgically to mind) she gets a shot at being an unexpected but formidable force. A careful balance of stone-cold calculating and human guilt hedges in the possibility of the ridiculous. If there’s any gripe about her performance it’s that she’s not given enough scenes to explore the more guilt-ridden side of Mary.

                Very quickly the film reveals a slick black heart wrapped in blood, mayhem, and sex.  The Soska’s obviously have a direction they want to take their own brand of visceral charm, but at times this seems too recycled. Moments that should have been truly deranged are lost in translation, the shock factor reined in by repetition. Cult imagery rears its triumphant head at numerous points, proving the Soska’s have the capacity for impressive mise en scene. An example?  Isabelle decked in stripper-wear performing surgery in a strip club basement jumps to mind first. It’s the sort of thing that sticks in your head.

                Plot-wise the film is pretty fluid, a nice birth-of-the-monster origin story makes the first half a hoot, but there seems to be some trouble with which direction to take the film in once Mary is taken advantage of. The revenge idea is great and certainly gives the film drive, but act two just seems a little bare, add this to the out-of-nowhere ending and the film seems to degrade slightly from its strong opening.

American Mary takes the passion and rage of a revenge film mixes it with modern gothic, anchors it with a great central performance, wraps the whole sordid affair in a slick and black shiny wrapping then lets it spin into an urban legend. Perhaps the spinning goes a little too far out of control and some wobbly decisions leave the film on a downer, but at this rate of improvement the Twisted Twins’ next piece should be genius.

SCOTT CLARK

★★★☆☆

UK Rating: 18
DVD/BD Release Date: 28th January 2013 (UK)
Director: Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska
Cast:  Katharine Isabelle, Antonio Cupo, Tristan Risk

The Confrontation (Fényes szelek) DVD Review

“Those who have never seen a film by Jancsó from the 1960s, when this Hungarian director was at his peak, are usually astonished by the experience,” says renowned critic Derek Malcolm in a statement that those of us who have seen the masterpieces The Round Up and The Red and the White know only too well. With The Confrontation, the fifth, and hopefully not the last, of the director’s films to be released by Second Run DVD, the results are, at times, equally astonishing and, although the film never reaches the lofty heights of those previously mentioned, it is the film’s beautiful use of colour that sets it apart from the others.

The Confrontation is Jancsó’s first film to make use of colour and, as the informative essay by Graham Petrie included with the DVD makes clear, it is this “visual and aural style of the film” that moves his aesthetic away from the black and white realism of his previous films into a more colourful and co-ordinated direction.

The film is set, much like with Jancsó’s previous films, in Hungary’s past. In this instance the backdrop is the student protests that occurred in the newly Communist Hungary of 1947. The film draws upon the director’s own experiences with the ‘Peoples’ Colleges’ protests, whose aim was to make University more accessible to working class students, and can clearly be seen as a parallel to the student protests that happened in both France and the United States, as well as elsewhere, during 1968.

The film’s story is centred on a demonstration that takes place in the courtyard of a church run school in which the protesting students try to persuade the school’s students to join their cause. It is through this demonstration that the films theme becomes clear. Whereas Jancsó’s previous films concentrated on an exploration of the power of nature, The Confrontation concentrates on an examination of the tactics and beliefs necessary for revolution, with the student’s loyalties split between two leaders; one who prefers to use compromise and negotiation and the other who sees violence as a necessity.

While the film never reaches the heights of Jancsó’s best films, all in all the film is beautifully colourful, wonderfully choreographed, and ultimately a fascinating experience.

Shane James

★★★★☆

Rating:U
BD Release Date: 28 January 2013 (UK)
Director: Miklós Jancsó
Cast: Andrea Drahota, Kati Kovács, Lajos Balázsovits
Buy:The Confrontation (Fényes szelek) [DVD]

Park Circus To Re-Release Jerry Schatzberg's Digitally Restored Scarecrow

Park Circus have announced 26th April 2013 sees the UK re-release of Jerry Schatzberg's Scarecrow,starring Al Pacino and Gene Hackman. Scarecrow has been digitally remastered to celebrate the Palme d'Or winning film's 40th Anniversary.

From professional photographer Jerry Schatzberg won the Palme d’Or in 1973 for this rarely screened eccentric on-the-road American classic, starring the acclaimed duo Gene Hackman and Al Pacino. A tale of intense and newfound friendship between lowly Max (Hackman – stated as his favourite ever role) and Lion (Pacino), Scarecrow is digitally restored and ripe for rediscovery on the big screen.
Opening amidst an isolated backdrop of dusty American landscape, Max, just released from prison, happens upon Lion. A muted meeting at first soon blossoms into the beginning of a new friendship that takes them hitchhiking across America to realise Max’s dream of opening his own car wash in Pittsburgh. Encountering a series of oddball characters along the way, often delving deep into the protagonists’ peculiarities and personal problems, Scarecrow is an intriguing, gritty gem from a significant period of great American cinema.

Scarecrow has been newly restored by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film will open in the UK on 26th April at BFI Southbank and selected cinemas nationwide.

'Nothing Will Get In His Way'- New Clip For The Fall Of The Essex Boys

Brit crime thriller The Fall Of The Essex Boys, which hits cinemas 8th February, and we have a brand new clip, showcasing hat the film has to offer.

Told from the point of view of gang member and police informant Darren Nicholls, this Lock Stock-esque new twist on the infamous Rettendon Range Rover murders stars Brit favourites Nick Nevern (The Rise and Fall Of The White Collar Hooligan), Robert Cavanah (The Borgias, Pimp), Kate Magowan (Kidulthood, Stardust) and BAFTA nominated Kierston Wareing (Fish Tank, Eastenders).

The clip sees Kierston Wareing and Robert Cavanah discussing her life as a wife of The Firm, and the magnetic danger that means she can never leave. The Fall Of The Essex Boys  also stars Simon Phillips, Peter Woodward, Craig Rolfe and Roman Kemp. Film arrives 8th February for limited cinema release before it's home release on 18 February.

Synopsis:The 1995 Rettendon Triple Murder. Not since Jack The Ripper has a killer’s identity so captivated the nation. The gruesome death of three drug dealers has spawned a miniature industry – books, TV programmes, merchandise, conventions and – of course – feature films. The appetite for gory detail and suppressed gangland secrets remains unabated, and is constantly titillated further with new tales of football hooliganism, international drug smuggling and police conspiracies of silence.

An 18 year old girl going into a coma after taking an ecstasy pill from a bad batch is the catalyst that sets in motion a series of events that leads to the demise of one of the most infamous criminal organisations in British History. Detective Inspector Stone steps in to try and put pressure on an untouchable unit of criminals – Pat Tate, Tony Tucker and Craig Rolfe. The Essex Boys. In order to bring the criminals   down, he must act out of the law to get things done.
As the Essex Boys grow stronger and more fearless, their addiction to drugs and power slowly starts to spiral out of control and they soon start to develop enemies everywhere.As Stone starts to see the cracks forming in their organisation and with pressure from his peers he soon realises that bringing them down will be inevitable but the real test will come when he must find a way of getting his man on the inside out safely.

Piranha Blu-Ray Review

Piranha is Joe Dante's official solo directorial debut, he co-directed some of Hollywood Boulevard. Dante would later go on to make such films as Gremlins, Matinee, the Burbs, Small Soldiers and more recently The Hole and he also hosts the online youtube channel Trailers from Hell which him and other directors do commentary on old film trailers. He also was the creator behind one of my favourite tv shows Eerie Indiana. Joe Dante like too many great directors before him started in the Roger Corman (also a great director in his own right… just watch The Intruder) school of filmmaking.

Piranha isn't one of Dante's finest films at any stretch of the imagination but it's a perfectly fine enjoyable rip-off of Steven Spielberg's much more superior film Jaws. Roger Corman from the start would often do films that rip-off popular films of the time or what was popular in the youth market; for instance during the start of hippie era, he made The Trip which was all about taking LSD (Dante has been trying to get film about making of The Trip off the ground for a while now). The films Corman directed himself would usually be the superior films he made.

The film literally opens with a Jaws video game and has numerous nods to the film throughout the film. Universal tried to sue the filmmakers for spoofing Jaws but Spielberg was so impressed with it's rip-off he later hired Dante to make his best film to date Gremlins and Universal obviously dropped their lawsuit. Piranha like most of Dante's films have a very nice sense of humour of everything it's doing but not in obnoxious way that certain films of this ilk do. The film is also noted for it being the screenwriting debut of John Sayles who would take his profits from the film (and other screenwriting jobs for hire) to make his own deeply personal films.

Overall the film is a amusing rip-off of Jaws while it's certainly not any of the filmmaker's involved best work at all, it's a perfectly decent 90 minutes. It also features great cameos from Corman regulars such as Paul Bartel and Dick Miller. Second Sight has done a very nice blu-ray package with lots of bonus material and also they have starting releasing some interesting cult films of late such as Southern Comfort and From Beyond (will be reviewed later on this site in the year).

Ian Schultz

★★★☆☆

Rating:15
BD Release Date: 28 January 2013 (UK)
Director:Joe Dante
Cast: Bradford Dillman, Heather Menzies-Urich, Kevin McCarthy, Keenan Wynn,Dick Miller
Buy:Piranha [Blu-ray] [1978]

Manborg DVD Review

When a film comes our way and one of the first pieces of information we hear regarding said film is that its budget was a measly $1000, yet it still made London Sci-Fi Festival and is getting some pretty rave reviews…we’re pretty much there, popcorn ready. Manborg, the latest cult extravaganza from retro-style production company Astron-6, is the outcome of three long years of scraping through dumpsters, crafting totally low-end effects, and the amalgamation of numerous 70’s and 80’s Sci-Fi B-movie exploitation films with ridiculous names and cool covers. It’s not exactly a revolution to state this film is strictly for B-movie fans.

Nazi demons, led by the evil count Draculon, spill out of Hell to conquer the Earth and, after losing his brother to the forces of darkness, an unnamed warrior is decimated by the Count and left amidst the bodies of the crushed rebellion. A mysterious figure puts the unnamed warrior back together, merging his crushed form with powerful cybernetic equipment to create Manborg- Cyborg of Destruction. The one man army then rages a war against Draculon and his nefarious minions with the future of Earth in the balance.

What we have here is a Robocop throwback with a microscopic budget yet it actually benefits from being stripped back to basics. The Harryhausen cybernetic monsters, an 80’s synth-led soundtrack reminiscent of Terminator and Carpenter films, the bizarre costumes, cheesy dialogue and OTT gore, are all welcome components of a nostalgia trip to weird 80’s action films. There are moments where you’ll wonder just how the hell the film got entertained for release or even production, but charm alone carves a hefty path through cynicism, never mind entertainment value. Everyone involved is in on exactly what type of film is being made, nobody takes themselves too seriously and the obviously cheesy/ludicrous characterization is, hopefully, purposeful.

It would probably be pedantic to complain about the childish sense of humour when the context of the film is considered, any film willing to rerecord a character’s voice to give him a badly dubbed macho tone, or have a zombie-demon-Nazi-doctor fall for the punky girl held captive in his fortress, deserves some slack. However there are some overly out-there moments that sometimes drag the film into being plain bad, when overall it seems pretty mindful of its retro arcade game/ 80’s cheese-fest inspirations.

Fight scenes actually work really well and the film can boast a fairly non-stop pacing that allows its running time of an hour to remain favourable from start to bloody conclusion. There’s a topless karate expert, a gun slinging nutter and his gorgeous sister, an adventure to save the planet, some great old-fashioned effects, and gory fight sequences all wrapped up in a keen video game style that only adds to the allure of the film. On that note, Manborg would make a pretty epic video game.

Imagine an action-packed particularly gory trashy episode of Red Dwarf with cheesier scripting all filmed by Tekken nerds. If you’re game for silly retro fun and old school outlandish characters then Manborg is a must-see, otherwise, steer clear of this wholly silly affair.

Scott Clark

★★★★☆

Rating: 15
DVD Release Date: 4th February 2013 (UK)
Directed by:Steven Kostanski
Cast: Matthew Kennedy, Adam Brooks , Meredith Sweeney
Buy/Pre-order:Manborg DVD

Shooting Wraps On Mark Harris The Broken

After a 6-week shoot in London and the USA Mark Harris scripted The Broken has now official finished  filming and principal photogaphy. The Broken is a thriller of international variety with locations varying from the sun drenched Sunset Boulevard, slums of Los Angeles to the streets of Lambeth in London. The international  label isn't just with the films locations The Broken stars a host of international acting talent including Mark Harris (Outside Bet, Offender), Felix Ryan (NCIS), Kyle Summercorn (Misfits), Rhea Bailey (The Mentalist)and Deji Laray (CSI: NY).

Synopsis :After the loss of his beloved son and a traumatic term in prison, all Matt Hollis wants is to be reunited with his estranged wife, Alison and daughter Lara. Certain that a break is all that they need to get back on track, Matt scrapes together enough money to take the family to America.

In LA, the Hollis’ find themselves in a palatial holiday home that seems too good to be true. Everything is perfect until, one night Alison is savagely beaten and Lara taken from her bed.

Terrified that he is about to lose his family all over again, Matt is desperate to find his daughter and makes contact with his old friend Syan who suggests that Lara may be the victim of an illegal child adoption ring. With the police on their tail, the two men embark in pursuit of Lara’s kidnappers and uncover a prolific ring of traffickers who sell innocent children to the highest bidder, servicing even the highest echelons of society’s elite.

Already sold to a childless couple, Lara will soon be lost and Matt and Syan must reach her before she becomes another victim of the trafficking trade.

The Broken is set for a August release in UK&Ireland ,The film is written by Marc Small and Davie Fairbanks and is based on an original story by Mark Harris. The feature will be directed by Simon Phillips (GBH). The Broken also stars Anna Nightingale, Honor Kneafsey and Rita Ramnani

Looper DVD Review

When Looper was released in 2012 it made my top ten of the year. Directed by Rian Johnson (Brick) Looper is a smart science fiction movie with a high concept premise that does an about turn half way through its running time and heads off in an unexpected direction.

Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a mid 21st century assassin with a difference, a Looper. Working for an organised crime syndicate, he kills targets sent back from the future where time travel has been invented and is in the hands of criminals. All is running smoothly until he is called upon to ‘close his loop’ and assassinate his future self (Bruce Willis). When he fails to pull the trigger future Joe goes on the run.

Looper deftly avoids the raft of exposition and time travel paradox dialogue that bogs down many time travel adventures (and episodes of Star Trek). In a rather disturbing scene, a Looper’s younger self is tortured, and we see his present self change before our eyes into a disturbed, shell of a man. However this universe is strikingly close to our own. It’s recognisable and it’s close. No overindulgence by the director in recreating an alien future with all its shiny new technology. The differences are subtle, like viewing our own world through a cracked mirror.

The heart of the film is Emily Blunt, a tough as nails single mother who allows young Joe to hide out on her farm. Through her we get to explore the questions surrounding destiny, moral ambiguity and the nature vs. nurture debate.

Let’s not forget the action in Looper. Bruce Willis more than holds his own in the slick action sequences. In your mind’s eye you can almost see him in his white vest from Die Hard. But it is Joseph Gordon-Levitt who is the real stand out in this film. With the disconcerting prosthetics to make him appear like a plausible young version of Willis, he looks oddly askew from the actor we’re familiar with. Instead, the makeup actually masks his ordinarily boyish looks which would have made him a far less convincing character. He’s also racking up one of the best CVs in film.

Looper then is a worthy addition to the time travel genre, with shades of Blade Runner, Terminator 2 and Twelve Monkeys running through it – even if it does ask more questions than it eventually answers.

Vikki Mysercough

★★★★☆

Rating: 15
DVD/BD Release Date:28th January 2013 (UK)
Directd By: Rian Johnson
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis , Emily Blunt, Jeff Daniels
Buy Looper:Blu-ray / DVD / Steelbook (Limited Edition) [Blu-ray]

Nakata Hideo Returns To J-Horror With The Complex

He is one of J-Horror's most iconic director Nakata Hideo and is probably responsible for most of famous J-Horrors such as Ringu (Ring)known to Western cinephiles.

Nakata Hideo returns to horror with The Complex (Kuroyuri danchi)and tonight we have our hands on the first teaser trailer.

Starring Atsuko Maeda formerly of J-Pop supergroup AKB48 as a nursing student Asuka who moves into a an apartment block plagued with strange mysterious deaths thanks to what to a death that happened 13 years previously. When she further investigates the strange noises from adjacent flat she learns the old man who lived there died trying to claw himself out of a wall but who is responsible for the deaths?

Films such as Sinister have a lot to thank Nakata for introducing the watch the video and you'll die a concept that can be seen in many western based horrors too. Tonight at Rotterdam International film festival The Complex will make its world premier then on 18th May Toei will release the in Japan. No UK date has been set but expect the film to arrive later in the year/2014.


sourceNipponcinema

Holy Motors Blu-Ray Review

Holy Motors is the first full length film by Leos Carax since his previous film Pola X which came out all the way back in 1999! Holy Motors was the sensation of last year at Cannes and at it's initial screening it was widely tipped at the prime contender of the Palme d'Or. It eventually lost out to the most more predictable pick of let another Haneke film (who just has to show up at Cannes and his wins it) but it did win the “award of the youth” award at the festival.

Holy Motors in a nutshell about Mr. Oscar (played by always wonderful Denis Lavant) during the time frame of one day who is has appointments to do and he driven in a limo by Celine (played by Edith Scob). These appointments get increasingly more and more surreal and the first one has him dress up as an old lady and beg.  The film is part about cinema it's littered with references to such great French directors such as Franju and Cocteau but the other hand is certainly can be interrupted as a film about what it means to be performer.

Denis Lavant was Leos Carax's one and only choice was the main character he said “If Denis had said no, I would have offered the part to Lon Chaney or to Chaplin. Or to Peter Lorre or Michel Simon, all of whom are dead.” He is obviously perfect he is like a fucked up French Fred Astaire cause is known for dancing abilities from Leos' previous film The Night is Young and Beau Travail but he is also just a great actor. The film also has bit roles by Kylie Minogue and Eva Mendes, which just add to the surreal quality of the film especially Kylie's cameo especially since they played one of her songs in a scene earlier in the film.

The film is truly unique it's utterly bonkers and makes no logical sense but it's truly a masterpiece that should be seen over and over and interrupted in any which way you like.

Ian Schultz

★★★★★

Rating:18
DVD/BD Release Date: 28 January 2013 (UK)
Director: Leos Carax
Cast: Denis Lavant, Edith Scob, Jeanne Disson, Elise Lhomeau, Eva Mendes, Kylie Minogue
Buy Holy Motors:Blu-ray / DVD

Fear Of Desire Blu-Ray Review

Fear and Desire is one of the most notorious films in the entire history of cinema. It’s known for two things 1. Stanley Kubrick’s first feature 2. Stanley Kubrick blocked it’s re-release till the day he died, it had a very limited release in 1953. It was recently unearthed by the US library of congress and restored into high-definition and released over there by KINO and over here by Eureka under their Masters of Cinema range.

Fear and Desire is firstly an extremely short film it has a running time of only slightly over an hour but damn it seems like forever…. Barry Lyndon is a much more exciting film. The plot is basically in an unknown land there is some war going on and there are a group of soldiers in enemy lines and they face their “fears and desires”. They try to build a raft to get the enemies’ base, they meet a peasant girl and one of the soldiers is mentally disturbed.

The film is only a curious side note in film history. Kubrick released a press statement to discourage people going to a screening at the Film forum in NYC calling it “a bumbling amateur film exercise”. The film has absolutely dreadful pseudo poetic dialogue that comes off as the type of shit a 15 year old would write. It does however has the first over the top Kubrick performance by Paul Mazursky which is certainly a predecessor to Jack Nicholson’s wonderfully over the top performance in The Shining. It’s a film that fails on almost every level but it does have some decent shots and a interesting idea but very poorly executed, it’s worth watching once but never again.

The blu-ray or dvd does however have 3 early documentaries by Kubrick which are extremely well made and certainly show Kubrick did have IT that early (which the feature presentation certainly doesn’t). The Seafarers is one of the docs and it has extraordinary use of colour, which is almost Technicolor, the subject matter isn’t particularly interesting but the colour is something to marvel at. Day of The Fight predates bits of Kubrick’s first real feature The Killer’s Kiss. The other Flying Padre is a fascinating a somewhat bizarre short doc about a flying priest. Overall the package is worth seeing but don’t expect some lost masterpiece because it is that’s bad.

Ian Schultz

★★★1/2☆

Fear And Desire:★★☆☆☆
The Seafarers:★★★★☆
Flying Padre: ★★★★☆
Day of the Fight:★★★★☆
Rating:12
DVD/BD Release Date:28th January 2013(UK)
Director:Stanley Kubrick
Cast: Frank Silvera, Kenneth Harp,Paul Mazursky
Buy Fear Of Desire:Blu-ray / DVD

Watch False Trail (Jägarna 2 ) Trailer, Win Film On DVD

From Director Kjell Sundvall and the producer of The Hypnotist Peter Possne, with the star of Wallander, Rolf Lassgård, False Trail is the latest Nordic Noir thriller to hit the big screen in the UK. Set in an isolated town in the frozen wastelands of northern Sweden, False Trail is a dark, twisted murder investigation that devastates a local community.

It’s been fifteen years since Erik (LASSGÅRD) was forced to leave the Norrland Police Department. Since then he has become the National Murder Commission’s best interrogator. When Erik’s boss orders him back to his home town to solve a brutal murder, he hesitantly returns as the thought of going back stirs up unpleasant memories. What at first appears to be a simple murder soon proves to be something much more complicated, as Erik finds himself with a new nemesis, Torsten (STORMARE), to contend with and events take a very sinister turn.

False Trail, (original title Jägarna 2), sequel to Tthe Hunters (Jägarna), stars Rolf Lassgård (WALLANDER) as Erik Bäckström, Peter Stormare (FARGO, THE BIG LEBOWSKI) as Torsten, Annika Nordin as Karin and Kim Tjernstrom as Peter. Directed by Kjell Sundvall (Jägarna), written by Björn Carlström and Stefan Thunberg and produced by Björn Carlström, Per Janérus and Peter Possne (The Hypnotist).


So did you enter The Hunters (Jagarna) contest recently? fancy winning False Trail on DVD the sequel to The Hunters? Our Big brother site The People's Movies has just launched a competition and to enter  enter via this link (goes to competition post).

Studiocanal announce Rust And Bone UK February Home Release

StudioCanal have informed us the award winning and 2 time BAFTA nominated film, Rust And Bone the follow up film to Jacques Audiard's arthouse classic A Prophet. Rust And Bone stars Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts and will be yours to own this February.

Following a theatrical opening to tremendous national and international acclaim, and a Best Film Award at the London Film Festival in October, Jacques Audiard, acclaimed director of A Prophet and The Beat That My Heart Skipped, returns with this powerful drama about two people from very different worlds, seeking redemption in each other.
Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts - Bullhead) dreams of becoming a professional boxer. When he is suddenly put in charge of his five year old son, he moves in with his sister for support. While at his new job as a nightclub bouncer, he meets the beautiful and confident orca trainer, Stephanie (Academy Award® winner Marion Cotillard - The Dark Knight Rises, La Vie en Rose). He gives her his number, not expecting that she will ever call. However, after becoming the victim of a tragic and life changing accident, Stephanie surprisingly turns to Ali for support. These lost souls discover new meaning in life together when Ali enters the dangerous world of underground boxing.

Winner of several international awards, Rust And Bone is one of the best and most talked about films of 2012. you can read our cinema review here. With 2 BAFTA nominations, Rust And Bone is up for Best Leading Actress (Marion Cotillard) and Best Film not in the English Language.

DVD & Blu-ray Extras:

- Audio Commentary with Jacques Audiard, Thomas Bidegain and Arnaud Calistri

- Making of Rust and Bone

- The Special Effects of Rust and Bone

- Deleted Scenes

- Trailer

DVD & Blu-ray HMV Exclusive Extras:

- Audio Commentary with Jacques Audiard, Thomas Bidegain and Arnaud Calistri

- Making of Rust and Bone

- The Special Effects of Rust and Bone

- Deleted Scenes

- Trailer

- Exclusive UK Interviews with Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts, Jacques Audiard and Thomas Bidegain

- Exclusive BAFTA Q&A with Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts and Jacques Audiard

Pre-order Rust And Bone: DVD / Blu-ray

Monster Pictures Bringing Us Irish Horror The Inside This March

Press Release:

MONSTER PICTURES present THE INSIDE, a hard, violent, visceral psychological horror featuring award winning Hollyoaks star Emmett Scanlan as you’ve never seen him before in Eoin Macken’s (BBC TV’s Merlin) most accomplished feature to date, released on DVD on 25 March 2013.

You’ve seen him as Sir Gwaine in the BBC’s TV series Merlin, now Eoin Macken steps behind the camera to direct The Inside, featuring Czech starlet Tereza Srbova (Sirens, Eastern Promises) alongside the cream of Irish acting talent that includes Emmett J. Scanlan(fan favourite Brendan Brady in Hollyoaks, Charlie Casanova), Sean Stewart (Occi, Coward), Natalia Kostrzewa (The Clinic) & Brian Fortune (Game of Thrones). 

While in a pawnshop a young man comes into possession of a second hand video camera; discovering a tape still inside he plays backthe footage and witnesses a horrific series of events involving a group of teens in an undisclosed location. Using the footage as a guide he retraces the steps to where the events seemingly occurred. Deciding to investigate he discovers to his horror not only the truth of theevents on the tape but comes face to face with a supernatural terror from which he may not escape....

The Inside is a hard, violent, visceral psychological horror, which gets into your belly, and leaves an unnerving disturbed feeling after watching it.  Shot mostly in alarming first person perspective this evocatively realistic story of five girls breaking into an abandoned warehouse for excitement -  then finding themselves subject to a terrifying human attack before succumbing to a supernatural terror -  will leave you shaking with fear!  The film shows the worst side of humanity and contrasts it with the horror of the supernatural, which has no compunction between good and evil.  But what is worse - the fear of the unknown, or the known fear of man?  Shot and directed by Eoin C Macken, with additional cinematography by David Laird, and also featuring Eoin Macken, with sound by Greg French of Irish band TheBrilliant Things and a chilling score from Kevin Whyms of Whymsonics, The Inside will re-invigorate the Irish horror genre.

Monster Pictures presents...The Inside, available on DVD from 25 March 2013

EXTRAS

· Exclusive feature length picture in picture commentary with Director Eoin Macken

· Trailers 

· ‘Making of’ Documentary

Pre-Order: INSIDE, THE (Monster Pictures) (DVD)

"Like [REC], The Inside is one of the most terrifying reality footage films ever" - Scream: The Horror Magazine

"Visceral and violent... impressively disturbing" - Screen International

"Will leave you shaking with fear" - Horrorbug

Watch The Adorable Trailer For Michel Gondry's Mood Indigo

Feeling a little woozy maybe a little whimsical? It's probably because your about to watch the first trailer for Michel Gondry's Mood Indigo (L’écume des jours).

Based on a 1947 Boris Vian's novel L'ecume des jours about a wealthy young inventor Nicholas(Romain Duris) who falls in love Chloe (Audrey Tatou)they marry.Unfortunately during their honeymoon Chloe takes seriously ill thanks to a water lilly sprouts in her lung and the only way to help is to surround her with fresh flowers but as time goes by the funds start to dry up.

Mood Indigo is like that Michel Gondry film made into one big  film, this is the French trailer however there's very little dialogue as the strength of the trailer is in  it's visual quality which simply gorgeous. Many Gondry fans, film critics have been waiting nearly 10 years for that film that can match what we loved in Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, Mood Indigo might just be that film they have been waiting for. What can say without doubt this is uniquely a Michel Gondry film which is sure to be a hit in arthouse cinemas around the world.

Mood Indigo doesn't have a  release date confirmed however Studiocanal are handling the UK&Irish release , French cinephiles can see this 24th April. Mood Indigo also stars Omar Sy, Gad Elmaleh, Lea Seydoux.



Michel Gondry's last film The We & The I will be closing gala at next Month on 13th February at Glasgow Youth Film Festival and the following night you can see Romain Duris starring in the Opening Gala for Glasgow Film Festival starring in Populaire.

Network Releasing Partner Amnesty International For Oscar Nominated NO

UK film distributor Network Releasing have announced an  unique partnership with the human rights organisation Amnesty International centred around the Oscar-nominated drama NO, starring Gael Garcia Bernal, which opens in UK cinemas on 8 February 2013. The partnership will see former Chilean prisoners of conscience or human rights experts presenting the film at screenings at Picturehouse Cinemas across the UK on 12 February 2013.

The arrangement will last for the duration of the cinema and DVD releases of the award-winning film about the true story of bringing democracy to Chile in 1988 after Pinochet’s dictatorial rule, which stars critically-acclaimed Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal.

The resulting 'No' campaign succeeded in ending over 16 years of military dictatorship, and is a powerful representation of the change that can be achieved when people come together to stand against oppression. As well as joint editorial activity to spread the message of the film via traditional and digital media, an Amnesty expert or a former Chilean prisoner of conscience will be present at every screening of the film at Picturehouse Cinemas on 12 February 2013. Most of the cinemas have also arranged a post-film discussion to answer questions and discuss the situation in Chile both now and at the time of Pinochet’s rule.

Participating cinemas are listed below:


· The Gate, Notting Hill
· Ritzy Brixton
· Hackney Picturehouse
· Clapham Picturehouse
· Greenwich Picturehouse
· Stratford East
· Belmont Aberdeen
· Duke of York’s Brighton
· Abbeygate, Bury St Edmunds
· Arts Picturehouse, Cambridge
· Cameo Edinburgh
· Exeter Picturehouse
· Regal, Henley
· FACT, Liverpool
· Norwich Picturehouse
· Bath, Little Theatre
· Phoenix, Oxford
· York
· Harbour Lights, Southampton
· Stratford-Upon Avon

Synopsis: Garcia Bernal plays cynical young advertising executive, Rene Saavedra, who is asked to spearhead the “No” campaign for those opposing the Pinochet regime to bring democracy to Chile. With scant resources, constant scrutiny from individuals sympathetic to Pinochet’s totalitarian regime including ad agency colleagues and the secret police, this bold, enthralling film looks at how a team of Chile’s “Mad Men” and opponents of the dictatorial regime instigated change. Seamlessly blending scripted scenes with archive footage, NO is a compelling period piece making it the first essential film to see in 2013.

Tim Beddows, Network Releasing Managing Director commented, “We are delighted to be working with Amnesty International on the release of NO and fully support the values they stand for. They are the perfect cause-related partner for the film.”



NO opens at UK cinemas on 8 February 2013 courtesy of Network Releasing